- Interest rates slipped at the Treasury's weekly auction of 3- and 6-month bills. The discount rate for 3-month bills was 4.49 percent, down from 4.54 percent at last week's auction. The rate for 6-month bills was 4.60 percent, down from 4.61 percent last week.

The coupon-equivalent investment rates at Monday's auction were 4.61 percent for 3-month bills and 4.77 percent for 6-month bills.

LOCAL NEWS: Prudential boosted its equity rating on Abbott Laboratories to "overweight" from "neutral." Shares slipped 41 cents, to $43.46.